Thomas Dent married Elizabeth Dodd on 12 March 1820 at Islington, St Mary's, London. Family folklore indicates Thomas as a 'remittance man', having had his and his family's passage paid to the Swan River Colony on board the 'Marquis of Anglesea', arriving 23 August 1829. Due to heavy seas and gales, they were unable to disembark - these gales eventually driving the ship to ground. As Elizabeth's confinement was imminent she was brought ashore to give birth - sheltered in a hog's head - to their third daughter Sophia on September 1 1829. Sophia is reputed to be the first white female child born in the colony. Having been assessed on his assets and family, Thomas was entitled to select 3213 acres of his choice and he first selected Lot 21 in Fremantle. In January 1830 he was granted a licence to keep the 'Happy Immigrant' public house on Perth Lot F1 (on the west side of Barrack Street between St Georges Terrace and Hay Street). He also had Lots G2 at Perth and a Fremantle Lot in 1829 (resumed 1833). Thomas was continually in the courts for various reasons including a 3 month prison term for assaulting his wife. Eventually, in 1845, Thomas was committed to the Round House as a lunatic (said to be an epileptic) where he died in April, 1849. Elizabeth lived with her son George's family, dying in 1891 at the ripe old age of 92 years. Both are buried at East Perth Cemetery although Elizabeth's headstone was later moved to Karrakatta Cemetery.